The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-12
al !, G!|ilsttelliQfnler.
once, Nos. rs and 81 Fourteenth Street. :
LAND OF ORANGE aRoyEs. !

LAND OF ORANGE GROVES, |
A Trip to California via tho Sunset Route,
5,i4li tgt Notes by tho Way. FI.s, I
Corrrvondenx Of The faislltotneer.
SAN DRIao. GAL, April 1--we reached
India, Arizona, In the morning having
gotten out Of Texas finally. This place Is
in the desert, 800 feet below the sea level,
One can readily see the region has been
the bottom Of sea In ages past. The
mountains are high, and tho tops OF many
are covered with snow. One party yould
scarcely credit their eyes, 30 the "oldest In.
habitant" was consulted. lie gave IA the
distance to the mountains from 20 to 90
milea Ut scented 6 to 20), and the highest
/ LOCO to II 600 feet, or two or three miles j!
Seeing is not believing. We wagged our
heads q littlo at these statements, but were
reminded We were not In California.
The weather Ia frequently warm in these
regions, tho mercury climbing up to 1907.
tho nights being but little cooler than tho
day. Thermometers, spirit levels, &c F.
will burst II left in the. sunshine. 1t IA
said OF an Indian who died here once, that
on arriving at the "bad hunting grounds''
he suffered from tho cold and went back
to India for his blanket ~ !
This morning our passengers saw q
lovely lake and river before them few
miller. Tho reflection OF the mountains In
shadow could bs plainly seen, and they
knew 1t was water. We travelled on passed
II and they were puzzled to know where
ina WQfhr 1,nn,.ktf,.t
age. No sheet OF water was ever more
perfect. Tho giant cacti, 10 to 30 feet
high, with trunks larger than mans
body, stand up stately among the rocks,
having no companions save the grizzled
sage brush aud in some places little
dried bunch grass. In this desert, and, in
iact, through the part Of Texas we have
come almost no rain has fallen for two
years, and not drop since August. This
10 calculated TO make 1t look dry. Verify,
1t is region OF desolation. No towns, no
people for many, many weary miles.
What courage it required to build rail.
road through such q region. Yet many
miles OF this railroad, through canons and
mountains, cost over $l0O, 900 per mile, It
Is well built and substantial road.
We skim along; about twenty-five miles
an hour, and arc soon in California, the
San Barnardino Valley. Signs OF thrift
show up, ranches and cattle and water,
and at noon We get into Cotton. Here all
excurions begin to break up. Some 70 to
San Diego, Bome to Los Angeles and other
pointa. Misunderstanding and good-byes and
good wishes are the order. When shall
this pleasant party meet again? The
towns are bundled in closely in this val.
ley, wherever water can 10 had, as it is
the "citrous belt" the home Of the or
ange, lemon. raisin grape, pear, peach, ap.
ricot, etc. We leave the train at Ontario
the model colony" This colony has
population OF 1000, is four years old
and has an avenue which they call
Euclid. It is 200 feet wide and six miles
long and straight as a string" There
are four rows OF shade trees, over 5000.
on this avenue, and they are as large as
trees OF ten years growth at Wheeling.
,Water, is carried in pipes seven miles,
from the mountains. The place is full OF |
orange groves and raisin graperies. They
do not stake the Muscat grape, OF which
ralslns are made, but they grow into |
sort OF low bush $500 per acre is often
made fron this sosPks.rasy give this in |
tnree years, sr at iAost four years. Or
sngss come slower, are more easily in
jured, and 80 more hazardous. They TO-
quire five years and more to pay we'll,
AS the orchards are young here, they get
bu. few oranges. We have heard Of crops
in better localities bringing $500 to $500
per acre on tho treea. They are generally
sold on the trees, the dealer prefe1ring to
pack and gather the fruit himself. Bu.
we 70 TO R!veraide, tho great orange CEN
ire OF the State. TuratsT,